Silver Lining
by Snarkiness
Summary: Even in the midst of a horrible tragedy, there is a silver lining. HoratioCalleigh
1. 5 Children

He stood, hands on his hips, staring out past the ocean and into the sunset. The case bothered him. Not just because they couldn't find the guy, or girl, but because it bothered Calleigh.

Calleigh Duquesne was a hard person to bother. So when a case got to her, you knew it was bad. And this one? It was bad.

Five two year old children had been found at a daycare center with their throats slit. If that wasn't bad enough, the killer had made a video of it. Actually, he had made six videos of it.

One went to Stacey Brenderman's mother and father.

The second went to Kevin Holder's single mother.

The third went to Lisa Mater's grandfather.

The fourth went to Gregory Froqui's aunt and uncle.

The fifth went to the orphanage where Tracy Littleman had been held.

And the sixth copy? The killer kept for himself. So he could watch himself kill the children over and over again.

Sick bastard.

Horatio shook his head and turned around,. becoming slightly startled when he saw Calleigh herself sitting on the hood of his hummer, blonde hair blowing in the slight Miami breeze, staring him right in the eye. He walked over to her and provided her a small smile.

"Hey," he said in a deep and sincere voice.

"Hey," she said back with a smile. She sniffed lightly, causing his eyebrows to knit. He didn't ask her if she was ok, that would be a dumb question. He tilted his head to her in a silent question, and she scooted over so he could climb onto the hood with her. She sniffed again, but this time tears fell through the brick walls she had put up. He didn't offer words, he just wrapped his arms around her and laid her head on his chest. Resting his chin lightly on her head, he rubbed her back.

No words were needed. They knew each other well enough that they could read the silence.

After about half an hour, Horatio felt her shiver. He realized she was wearing a tank top, and the temperature had dropped quite a bit since they had first arrived.

"Come on," he whispered to her. She picked up her head as she nodded, her tears long gone and dried. He held open the passenger side door as she climbed inside, then after shutting it he climbed in his own side and started the car. She didn't ask where they were going, she thought she already knew. The car ride was silent, except for the occasional hum of a car as it passed. The silence bugged Horatio. He wanted to speak, but wasn't sure of her current mental state, so he left it alone.

When they pulled into her driveway, she climbed out and went up the stairs to her door. She wasn't at all surprised that Horatio followed her, or at least if she was she didn't show it. Opening the door, she let them both inside.

"Coffee?" she offered. She turned to look at him, and almost flinched when she saw that he was regarding her with sympathetic eyes.

"Sure," he whispered with a smile. She walked into the kitchen and started the coffee maker. It should only take about 10 minutes, but in the meantime they would have to make small talk.

Crap.


	2. Over Coffee

Calleigh sat on the couch beside him, averting her eyes as he watched her. She knew that if he made eye contact with her, and she saw the sad look in his eyes, she wouldn't be able to keep her feelings inside anymore. She didn't want to complicate what they had anymore than it naturally was, with him being her boss and all.

Horatio noticed her hesitation and decided not to push it. He began with what he hoped was a safe topic.

"So...do we have anymore evidence on this guy?" he asked in his deep voice that she loved so much. She shook her head no and sighed.

"This guy's good, Horatio."

"So are we, Calleigh. So are we. We'll get him. You know that, right?" he asked with a slight tilt of his head as he regarded her carefully with his piercing eyes.

"I don't doubt it for a second. The question is, will we catch him before or after he kills more children?" She finally made eye contact with him, and it seemed for her almost as if time stopped. They stared at each other, each afraid to blink and break the moment. Unfortunetly, the coffee maker did that for them. She gave him an apologetic smile and pushed herself up of the couch, walking into the kitchen. He watched her walk out of sight before he turned away and regarded her question. The truthful answer was that he didn't know. They could only hope.

"If you take sugar or cream or whatever, I can get it for you," Calleigh's sweet voice told him, breaking him away from his thoughts and making him raise his eyebrows. He gave her a smile.

"This is fine thanks," he told her. She sat beside him on the couch and crossed her legs, indian style. She blew on her coffee before taking a slow sip and setting it down. He set his cup down without drinking any and turned to her. He thought for a second before slowly reaching for her hand.

He surprised her, but when he took her hand she let him have it. She blinked rapidly and stared at him questioningly. He answered her thoughts.

"We **will** get him, Calleigh. We have the power to prevent him from hurting anymore children, and we're going to use it to the fullest extent. Ok?"

Even if she wanted to she couldn't resist nodding and smiling. He had a way with words that would always cheer her up.

"I know, Handsome. I guess I'm just suffering through doubts." She blushed as she saw him give her a warm look.

"We all do. We just can't let them take over, Beautiful," he responded.

They both smiled.


	3. Kevin Parker and Dinner

Thier empty cups laid on the table as they chatted and laughed freely. Horatio was surprised that either of them could laugh after the case they had been through. But it felt good to laugh, he decided. She stopped laughing and looked at him, their eyes locking. Both of their smiles slowly faded, but the sapphire and emerald eyes couldn't tear away from each other. Horatio's phone rang, causing Calleigh to jump and turn away as he reached for it.

"Caine." She heard him say as she stared at a spot on her floor that had suddenly become particularly interesting. She knew this call would end their short time together, and she wasn't sure how she was supposed to feel about it.

"Uh-uh. Ok, we'll be right there." Calleigh's head snapped up as she heard _we'll._ Maybe their time wouldn't end after all. He looked at her.

"Valera matched the DNA we pulled from the hair on one of the kids to a man with a long sheet, mostly all child abuse. He's in interrogation." She jumped up and hurriedly went to the door, hearing him right behind her as they both went down to the Hummer.

Kevin Parker was quite the man. His rap sheet revealed that his ex-wife, Carla Johnson, had charged him more than once with abusing their three children, along with herself. He scowled at the red-headed officer in front of him as silence filled the room.

"What did Carla say I did this time?" he asked after a while with apparent disgust.

"Although I'm sure Ms. Johnson would have a few things to say about you, Kevin, she has nothing to do with this," Horatio told him. "This, is about the murder of five children."

Horatio watched as Kevin's eyes grew wide. "Murder?!" he shouted. "I didn't have a damn thing to do with any murder!"

Horatio regarded Kevin with calm eyes. "Then do yourself a favor, and explain to me why we found your hair," he said, sliding an enlarged picture of a hair across the table in front of the suspect, "on one of the children's bodies."

Kevin stared at the picture for several long seconds with no emotion on his face. "I was so careful," he whispered. Horatio clenched his jaw before he responded.

"Not nearly careful enough, Mr. Parker."

As the officers led Kevin away, Calleigh watched disbelievingly through the one-way glass of the interrogation room. Horatio sighed and let his head drop into his hands as Calleigh cried.

6:00 p.m found Calleigh answering a phone call in the dark of her home. "Hello?" she asked, hoping her shaky voice didn't alert the other person to the fact she had been crying.

"Calleigh." It was Horatio. She sat up quickly, suddenly worried.

"Is everything alright?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh yes...everything's fine. I was just checking up on you," he told her, seeming somewhat distracted.

"I'm fine...I'm ok." He took a deep breath.

"Do you think you'd be up to dinner? I know it's a little sudden, but I really do want to make sure you're ok."

She almost didn't want to accept because of the mere fact that she believed he was doing it out of pity, but she knew this could be her last chance.

"Ok. When and where?"


	4. Full of Surprises

The restaurant was one of the most expensive in Miami. It provided a top floor for staying in top notch hotel suites, and a dance floor on the lower level, along with a view of the whole city. Calleigh was stunned as Horatio pulled into the parking lot.

"What...how...when..." she stuttered aimlessly. He chuckled.

"Where and why. The five questions you ask when solving a crime. It's nice of you to be freshening up on your investigative skills, but let's not talk shop here. This is about relaxing and forgetting work."

She shot him one of her best glares as he climbed out of the Hummer and walked over to her side, opening her door and assisting her in touching the ground. He hooked an arm through hers and they walked through the front door.

The walls, chandeliers, and dance floor were all golden, and as Calleigh watched the dancers fly across the floor, she had her breath taken away. She was instantly mystified. He leaned into her ear and whispered.

"Our table is away from the dance floor, but if you're interested we can always come back." All she could do was nod as he led her away.

The menu was long and exotic, and Calleigh found herself in awe of all the food, half of which she had never heard of. The prices were through the roof, and Calleigh wondered how he planned on paying, but decided not to push it. She decided on what she wanted and laid her menu down to find him already done and watching her.

"Do you dance?" she asked him as a conversation starter. He smiled at her.

"Do you?" She smiled and laughed.

"Are you going to answer my questions with questions all night?"

"I hope not. That wouldn't be any fun."

She laughed again, this time throwing her head back. She was amazed at how different this Horatio was compared to the one she knew so well from work. They talked and chatted over dinner, and she was amazed at how easy it was to stay away from work-related topics. After about forty-five minutes, dishes dirty and dessert gone, Horatio wiped a napkin across his mouth and stood.

"I believe the lady wanted to dance?" he said as he held a hand out to her. She turned away with a deep blush.

"I never said that..." she mumbled. He grabbed her hand and pulled her up, looking into her eyes.

"This is a free night, Calleigh. Nothing will happen that you don't want to happen. Besides, I bet you couldn't keep up with me anyways."

Her eyes snapped to his with a defiant look and he smiled. "Thats a bet you'd lose. You're on."

She let him lead her to the dance floor, and didn't realize until they were almost there the verbal trap he had laid that she had fallen for hook, line, and sinker.


	5. The Dance

Horatio wrapped an arm around Calleigh's waist, keeping his other hand locked with hers as he stared into her eyes. Calleigh kept her free hand resting on his shoulder. They moved their feet to the rhytm, which at the moment was quite slow, and just enjoyed themselves. On occasion he would spin her around, causing her to laugh happily. No words for spoke for the longest time.

"See? I **can** keep up," she informed him with a smile. He nodded and let her go. Her smile fell, and she looked at him with confused eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Stay here for just a second, OK?"

She nodded and watched him as he walked over to a waiter and began to speak softly. She tilted her head as the waiter nodded and moved away. He came back to her, all smiles.

"What was that all about?" she asked him. Her question was answered as the music suddenly picked up tempo and turned into a dancing frenzy.

"Still think you can keep up?" he asked her mischeviously. Her wide eyes held only a small hint of doubt. He returned his hands to their previous spot and they smiled at each other as their eyes locked and their feet began to move quickly.

"Alright, you win," Calleigh informed Horatio as they made their way to the Hummer. He laughed as she panted, blond strands of her hair sticking to her face. She glared at him, causing him to laugh harder. "Laugh it up, buster," she muttered. He suddenly pulled her into his arms, causing the mood to turn serious as he mumbled.

"I plan to."

Their eyes stayed together as he dipped his head and laid his lips against hers.


	6. Goodnight, Handsome

**I'm so sorry that it took so long to update! I suffered writer's block after my last chapter, and I started writing other stories. I just managed to find this here and decided to give it a go! Thanks for the lovely reviews...I love writing. Speaking of...I feel like writing new stories as well. Anyone have anything in their head they want put in a story? I'd love to take on a challenge...**

The night outside was dark as Horatio drove them back to Calleigh's apartment. She mostly kept her gaze out the window, but every once in a while would sneak glances over to the driver. Her lips still tingled. Her thoughts were flying all over the place, completley out of control. This was the kind of power he had over her. Her head snapped up as she realized the Hummer had stopped, and she turned to find him unbuckled and watching her.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he asked in a soft, deep voice.

"Why handsome," she began, adding an exaggerated fluttering of the lashes, "I'd like to think they're worth more than a penny..."

"If I had all the money in the world I couldn't afford them, Calleigh." His words stopped her teasing immedietly. She looked into his eyes to see if he was serious, and even though he was already out and walking over to her side of the vehicle, she had a feeling he was.

He opened her door and held out a hand to her for the second time that evening, although in a different context. She took it gratefully and was hoisted down and gently placed on the cement. He shut her door behind her, and she vaguely realized she was trapped inbetween the Hummer and it's driver before his lips stole hers again.

This time it lasted longer, and it seemed as if he was more sure. She returned it with equal passion, letting him know as best she could how she felt. He broke off, putting an arm around her waist and leading her to the stairs.

She had her key in the lock when she realized he didn't plan on coming in. She turned to see him watching her, drinking her up as if he would never see her again.

"Thanks, Horatio. That was one of the best nights I've had since...well...to be honest I don't remember ever having a night like that," she admitted shyly. He gave her a small smile.

"My pleasure," he told her. "Good night, beautiful. Sleep with the angels." He gave her a soft kiss on the cheek before turning and walking back down the stairs.

_Well I would, handsome, _she thought as she walked him enter the Hummer and drive away. _But my angel is sleeping back at his house tonight._

**Sorry it's so short! Just wanted to let you guys know I'm still working on it. Whatcha think?**


	7. I Wanna Be the Rain

Morning found Calleigh curled up on the couch in a short bathrobe holding a cup of coffee. Her damp hair laid on her shoulders as she lifted her cup for another swig. The warmth filled her and made her smile. She stared into the TV, and was able to see her reflection in the blackness. _I look horrible without make-up, _she thought chidingly to herself. A knock on the door almost made her gasp, and as she placed her cup on the table and stood, she was lamost afraid to see who it was.

Horatio's head snapped up as the door opened not long after he knocked. Calleigh's wide smile greeted him, and she opened the door wider, silently inviting him to come inside. He stared at her with hungry eyes, and she quickly became aware of how little she was wearing. The desire in his eyes made her shiver as goosebumps covered her skin.

"I'll be right back. Make yourself at home," she told him as she turned to go back into her room.

She quickly dropped the robe and pulled on a silky yellow shirt along with a pair of tight blue jeans. She brushed her hair back into a high ponytail and dabbed a small amount of make-up on her face. She deemed herself presentable and walked out into the living room to see Horatio sitting on the couch, legs crossed, waiting for her to return. He turned to her as she coughed, and she smiled at his quick intake of breath. He stood and walked to her, pulling her into him for a quick kiss.

"Good morning. You look gorgeous, as always," he told her with a smile.

"Good morning, and thank you. You don't look so bad yourself. Coffee?" she asked politly, ever the Southern hostess. He shook his head.

"Thanks, but no thanks Beautiful. I had breakfast on the way. I was actually wondering if you would like a ride?"

She badly wanted to accept, but she wasn't sure how she would feel if everyone knew they were together. Rick Stetler would have a field day, and one or both of them could lose their jobs.

Horatio watched as her eyes suddenly grew distant and cautious, and he mentally kicked himself for not thinking before he spoke.

"Dear, it's your day off. I just wanted to take you somewhere..."

She blushed at her mistake. "Right. Where?" she asked curiously as she grabbed her purse and keys from the counter and headed for the door.

"Oh...somewhere," he spoke mysteriously. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow, but he was already out the door. She followed him, shutting and locking the door behind her.

Out in the driveway, she was surprised to see a silver Lexus instead of the usual department issued Hummer. She decided to tease him a little bit.

"What, no Hummer?" she teased lightly. He laughed outright as he answered her.

"No. This is completley not work related. Besides, it'll fit in better where we're going."

The response only served to fuel her curiosity, but she climbed into the car throught the door he held open, and when he got in on his side, he was silent. As they back out of the driveway, she pointed to the radio.

"Do you mind?" she asked politly.

"Whatever you want," he answered with a smile. She smiled back and pushed the button. Music filled the car, and though she had never heard the song before she instantly liked it.

_It's not enough to be the one who holds you_

_It's not enough to be the one you're close to_

_I want...to be so much more_

_The love...that you're living for_

_The air you breathe_

_I want to be everything that touches you...everything_

Calleigh stole a glance at Horatio who was tapping the rythm on the steering wheel, eyes straight ahead on the road. He seemed unaffected, but Calleigh's heart was touched by the slow love song sung by the spanish accents. She loved it. She made a mental note to ask about the singers so she could buy the record later.

_I wanna be the rain, that falls on you_

_Washes away the pain_

_I wanna be the sun that shines for you_

_Warms your world each day_

_I wanna be the sky that holds the stars for you_

_So you never lose your way_

_I wanna be the wind that kisses your face_

_I wanna be the rain_

Calleigh smiled at the sweet lyrics as the song continued on. She found herself so caught up in the music that she didn't even realize until the song was over they were parked. Horatio sat toward her, smiling in understanding.

"RBD. It's a Spanish band," he told her in his deep voice. She nodded, but was to busy staring at the neon signs to comment. He noticed her line of sight and commented, "It's a new club."

She turned to look at him, face regestering shock. He shook his head with a laugh.

"Not any kind of club you would find Eric in, sweetheart. A club for people like me. Hope you don't mind."

She laughed and shook her head. He stepped out of the car, and took her hand on the other side. He smiled at her, and she thought she would melt. As they walked up to the door and entered the building, she leaned against him and prepared herself for another night of her life.


	8. Dancing

She reveled in the feeling of his arms around her, holding her close as they danced. She had her arms wrapped around his neck, her head leaning on his shoulder. He spun them around slowly, and for a moment she was afraid her ponytail would hit another couple dancing close to them. She suddenly realized that they were now the only couple dancing. Opening her eyes, she saw everyone sitting in their seats and watching them, mouths open in what seemed like awe. She felt her face heat up as a flush came over her, cuasing her to hide her head in Horatio's neck. She felt him laugh as he tipped her head up.

"Why don't...why don't we get some dinner?" he asked, noticing her discomfort. As reluctant as she was to leave his arms, she did want off the dance floor for a little while. She nodded, and took his offer of a table in the far back. The music grew fast again as they sat down, making themselves comfortable in the small booth for two. She put the menu down after a few minutes of process elimination and noticed him staring at her, hands folded in front of him. She smirked.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just noticing how the light above you makes you seem like an angel. You're positively glowing, Calleigh."

She blushed again, and again he chuckled at her shyness. She stuck her tounge out at him, and to her surprise, he reached out and grabbed it before it could retreat back into her mouth. He held it for a moment before letting it go, and Calleigh's eyes were wide as she covered her mouth with a manicured hand.

"Bad girls get only one glass of wine, and you've already had two. So you have to be good," he teased. She laughed freely, reminded of how much she loved this side of Horatio. The waiter brought their dinners, and they both dug in. For a while the only sounds were of silverware hitting plates and the crunching of various foods. After they were done, Horatio leaned back and smiled at her.

"So...do you like this place?" he asked shyly.

"Like it? Horatio, this place is amazing! How did you find it?" she asked curiously, noticing on the drive over how it was in the middle of nowhere. This time it was he who blushed.

"It was a local hangout when I was a teenager. It has changed a lot over the years, though."

She laughed at the image of a young Horatio in a club with flashing neon lights. He seemed to sense her thoughts and glared at her, but his look quickly softened as all the lights turned a calming blue, and a new band took the stage, starting off with a soft song that poured through the club. Horatio stood, extending a hand to her. He pulled her to the dance floor, wrapping his arms around her and she him. They swayed softly to the beat, the pulsing blue lights seeming to dance around them.

_Seems the only one who doesn't see your beauty_

_Is the face in the mirror, looking back at you_

_You walk around here thinking you're not pretty_

_But thats not true, because I know you_

Calleigh smiled on Horatio's shoulder, the woman's melodious voice and the heart touching words quickly reaching her. She looked up at Horatio to judge his reaction, and he smiled down at her.

_Hold on, baby you're losing it_

_The water's high, you're jumping into it and letting go_

_And no one knows_

_That you cry but you don't tell anyone_

_That you might not be the golden one_

_And you're tied together with a smile but you're coming undone_

A whisper against her ear cause her to look up at him again, her eyes questioning. He smiled shyly and repeated himself as they swayed.

"Maybe it wasn't just the light, Calleigh."

At first his words confused her, but as the meaning hit her she felt herself melt in his arms. And being the gentlemen he was, he held her tight as she cried softly in happiness.


	9. Laughing Over Coffee

The ride home was embraced by silence, the occasional street light cutting through the darkness like lightning. Horatio stared out the windshield, trying to see through the pouring rain. Calleigh looked out her window, coming up with things in her head she could say once they got there to convince him to stay. Their hands were tightly clasped together over the center console. She couldn't tell where they were, but she knew they weren't far from her house. She didn't have long to come up with something good.

Seven minutes later, Horatio turned and pulled into the parking lot of her apartment building. He let go of her hand to step out of the car and he ran to her side, holding his jacket over her head on the journey to the door. Her clothes got drenched, but her hair was dry. She laughed as she turned to look at him, rain running down his face and his hair matted down by water. He stuck his tounge out at her, and she reached out and grabbed it. His eyes smiled at her challengingly, but she just shrugged and let him go, unlocking her door and leaving it open as she turned back to him.

"It's cold out. Coffee?" she managed to blurt out. He was silent for a moment, looking at her then back into her house before nodding. She let out a breath of relief, afraid he would refuse. He stepped past her and into her home and she locked the door behind them. She took his jacket and walked into the bathroom, hanging it over the shower and grabbing a towel. She came out in a fluffy blue bathrobe to find him still standing on her doormat, dripping continuously. She hid a smirk as she handed him the towel.

"Bathroom is that way," she informed him as she pointed. His eyes devoured her before his feet moved him in the pointed direction. She shivered at his hungry gaze before starting the coffee pot. A few minutes later, she heard the shower start and her mouth dropped open slightly, her eyes widening as her mind conjured up images against her will. Her breathing quickened and she dropped her waiting cup, barely regestering the shatter against the tile floor. As the water stopped, she shook herself of her mental breakdown and quickly grabbed a broom and dustpan, cleaning up her mess.

When she turned around from the trash can having dumped the evidence of her mistake, he stood before her with a towel slung around his waist. Her brain short circuited again and she fell, right into his chest. His arms instinctively reached out for her and held her as his voice came over her like a protective cloud.

"Are you ok, Calleigh? I heard a shatter and here you are falling..." his concerned voice inquired. She managed to nod, but couldn't do anything more than that. He squeezed her tightly as she slipped even more.

"Fine," she whispered. A ding resounded through the house making her remember her task. "If you head over to the couch I can bring you some coffee," she told him, her voice slowly returning. He laughed, hiding his face as he blushed deeply.

"I..uh...I don't think thats such a good idea right now," he murmered shyly. She knitted her eyebrows at him.

"Umm...why not?"

"I'm holding you."

"...yeah. I noticed." Suddenly his meaning dawned on her and she laughed. She laughed and laughed until tears were streaming down her face. He held her and rolled his eyes.

"Yes, Calleigh. It's hilarious."

She nodded wordlessly as she reached out and tied his towel in a knot for him, stepping away and doubling over from her laughter. He sighed deeply and walked into the bathroom getting his clothes on as she limped to the kitchen. When he returned she sat on the couch and held out his cup of coffee for him. He took a spot next to her and watched her. Her lips were pursed tightly together, almost white from the pressure. He groaned.

"You aren't done, are you?" His answer was laughter that pushed through her mouth and made her fall face down on the couch as her loud giggles filled the room with their musical sound. He leaned back onto the couch and finally let his laughter through as well.


	10. No Dancing

The first thing Calleigh did when sunlight woke her from a deep slumber was smile. She ran a hand over her eyes and blinked a few times before she stood up. Her shorts and tank top clung to her as she walked to the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. She saw a note on the kitchen table and was reminded of last night's magical atmosphere. She picked it up and scanned it, her smile growing as she put it back down and went into the bathroom to take a shower and get ready for work.

_Beautiful,_

_Last night was amazing. (Even if you couldn't stop laughing long enough to notice) ;) Anyways...I was thinking tomorrow night at seven? If all pans out well it should be quite memorable...let me know?_

_Love,_

_Horatio_

The jolt from firing the bullet would have knocked anyone else down, but Calleigh held her ground. The target shook as the .22 lodged itself into the center ring. A whistle from behind her made her turn slowly, laying her goggles on the counter and taking the gun apart to set them together.

"Hello, Handsome," she quoted happily. He chuckled and handed her an evidence package.

"I need you to run this." His eyes twinkled, giving his serious prescence away to no one except her. As he turned to leave after her nod, her voice stopped him.

"Yes."

"Yes?"

Yes," she repeated. His smile blossomed.

"Great. Keep me posted."

The next day Calleigh didn't think she would be able to stand, let alone go out dancing. Her legs were cramped from crouching down all day, and her mood wasn't the usual chipper mood she had. Two-hundred must-collect bullet casings from a drive-by had taken five hours to collect, and over eight to process. Nonetheless, she had gotten herself dressed up and ready as she laied on the couch. The knock on her door made most of her pain dissapper instantly. She stood and reached for the knob, smiling at the man standing shyly on the other side. She grabbed her purse and followed him out wordlessly.

"You look great, Calleigh," his silken words flowed over to her during the drive. She smiled and returned the compliment. As they pulled into the parking lot of another fancy restaurant, she managed to blurt out,

"I don't think I'll be able to dance tonight, Horatio." He laughed.

"We won't be dancing."

The walk up to the building suddenly had her stomach filling with butterflies. She hadn't been nervous before, but she had picked up on new emotions swarming from Horatio and she was suddenly apprehensive. He pulled out her chair for her, and she sat down looking around the building at the chaundeliers and golden silverware. Their dinner came and she looked over at Horatio, shocked.

"I ordered ahead of time. Hope you don't mind," he explained. His eyes betrayed his nervousness, causing Calleigh to ask him cautiously,

"What's going on?" He smiled and took a bite from his plate before standing up and walking over to her. She looked up at him, tears filling her eyes as he knelt in front of her. Taking her hand, he spoke gently.

"I love you, Calleigh. I have for a long time, and you don't know how much I love the feeling of being able to tell you that now. I've already talked to a...few people...and they cleared it with IAB and other officers. Work won't be a problem. A human can only go three minutes tops without air, and thats how I feel about you. When you're away from me I feel like I can't go much longer without seeing you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Calleigh."

Her tears had started flowing freely in the middle of his speech, and she closed her eyes for a second only to feel his fingers wiping away her tears. She leaned forward and kissed him, moving away to look him in the eye.

"Yes," she whispered. He tilted his head and she nodded. Both of their smiles let each other know they were the happiest couple in the world.

In the midst of the darkness they work with everyday, they had found their silver lining.

END


End file.
